Christmas Day
by thatblue
Summary: The Doctor, Donna, and Grace are getting ready for Christmas.
1. Chapter 1

**This is just a lame attempt to get the mood for Christmas. **

Donna had hated Christmas when she had first met the Doctor, though he had worked hard to remedy that every chance he got. It was Grace that made her take a second look though, and she couldn't help but find the delight and joy of it when she saw her eyes light up. And she loved to decorate and bake and Donna was fairly sure that she would make every day Christmas if they would let her, and she had threatened the Doctor if he told her that technically every day could be in the TARDIS. Grace was smart enough to know that now, but at the time she might have taken him up on that offer and Donna couldn't bear for it all to become routine. It was far too precious for that now.

And this was Christmas Eve, at least on Earth, but it was just past midnight. And the Doctor and Donna had just sat down for a quiet moment in the library to read, with the fire going, and flickering across the walls. Grace was…somewhere…her and the TARDIS were always having fun. The TARDIS had taken to her in a way even the Doctor had said he had never seen, even though Grace was the first and the only child raised inside of the TARDIS. She made rooms for Grace, moved things, added things at only a passing thought from Grace. Donna remembered when she saw bowling lane in one of the rooms that she was certain used to be a bedroom. Grace had just shrugged and told her that she had wanted to bowl.

She heard the rapid footfall before she could hear the words but the she thought she caught the Doctors lips curl just a little. She could make out the words now that Grace was closer, "Christmas, Christmas, Christmas." She had made it into a single word song as she ran into the library and made a wide lap around them still singing and beaming at them.

When she left again and the sound of her voice faded a little Donna moved her book to the side table and looked at the Doctor "What is wrong with her?"

The Doctor shrugged but didn't look up at her. "Not sure."

"What did you do?"

"Why do you assume I did something?"

"Doctor." She used the no nonsense voice.

"Fine, she may have had some coffee."

"Coffee? Really, you know how she gets when she drinks that…just like you…you had some too didn't you?"

The Doctor looked up now, letting out the smile he had apparently been fighting and tossed his book behind him, without regard. He leapt up. "Christmas!"

"Really!" Donna growled but looking at the Doctors face she couldn't help but smile also. The energy that they were producing was too strong not to be infectious and she sighed. "Fine, find your daughter and then we will start decorating. I swear she is the female version of you."

The Doctor didn't argue, she was remarkably like him, the gentler, kinder version of him. "She got all the good stuff from you, love."

"Sweet talker," Donna murmured and began to walk to the door. "Find the child."

The Doctor nodded and took off at a run, shouting for Grace, and singing about Christmas. Donna just shook her head and went to try to find the room that held the decorations. She doubted that Grace would have let it be moved so with any luck she wasn't far from it.

DW

The Doctor was bouncing with energy but it went beyond the effects of coffee. He loved Christmas time, now that he had a family to share it with. And he loved how Donna had finally come around to see the joy that it could be, plus it was one of the rare times Grace baked and she was even better than Donna at making banana bread. She just refused to do it on most days. He found her running through the obstacle course that he had passed some time back and he had just closed the door without bothering to ask Grace why it was now there.

"Your mom says its time," he told her brightly.

"Really," she asked him from the top of the beams she was hopping across. She made to make the long jump down when the Doctor shook his head.

"If you break your leg, your mother will have my head."

Grace gave a loud sigh and took the long way back down. "It's not like I haven't done it before." She told him when she reached the bottom.

"I'm sure," he nodded and held out his hand. "Come on, decorations and then pretty please bread."

She laughed slipping her hand into his, "Fine, but I want a real tree this year. Not that thing you guys tried to pass last year that caught fire."

"That wasn't my fault. The TARIDS did that."

She nodded. "She hated it too. Real tree and I'll make enough bread to last a while."

The Doctor nodded eagerly. "Deal."

DW

The Doctor and Grace had returned and Donna had directed them in different directions to decorate. There was only so much energy that should be held in one place at one time and they were both bursting with it at that moment. Grace had taken her box and ran off down the hallway to do her will with the decorations and Donna and the Doctor stayed in the console room.

"She wants a real tree," the Doctor told Donna as he balanced on the coral and was stringing lights.

"Last year's tree was real," Donna defended her choice of tree. It was a real tree after all, just not an Earth tree. But it was so much more beautiful with the leaves glowing around the lights.

"Earth tree," the Doctor explained calmly. Donna knew that if the Doctor had already agreed, probably on the promise of bread, that that would in fact be what they were doing.

"You are such a sucker," she told him playfully.

"Well," the Doctor hopped down and pulled her to him. "It did catch on fire last year."

"Softie," she kissed his lips softly. "Just admit that you would move the world for her."

"I would move the universe for my girls," the Doctor told her kissing her again.

"Ew," Grace muttered from her spot, holding the empty box.

"Get your coat," Donna told her with a smile. "I'm sure you wanted there to be snow when we get your real tree."

"You're the best Mom," Grace told her and she headed off towards the room.

"I am kind of the best," Donna told him.

He laughed. "The very best. All right, Earth it is."


	2. Chapter 2

Grace wore her coat wrapped snugly around her as did Donna; the Doctor wore his because that was what he did. The cold didn't bother him, but Donna and Grace held on to human temperatures so the cold was worse for them.

"You did get an axe right," Grace asked him with a smile that was hard to resist.

"I brought the laser," he told her waiting for the reaction. Of course he had brought the axe, he wasn't crazy. She may have been kind and gentle but she was also stubborn.

She looked at him, without blinking or smiling, finally Donna gave in. "Yes, he brought the axe, honey. He knows you're just a bit crazy about a proper Christmas."

Grace didn't look offended. "Not crazy, just right. All you had to do was talk to last year's tree and it laid down, oh please take me, and then let your TARIDS burn me."

The Doctor chuckled, and both Donna and Grace glared. "It was very pretty," Donna defended though the Doctor knew she wasn't upset with Grace.

Grace gave an exaggerated sigh and then leaned against Donna. "It was, Mom. I'm sorry…the TARDIS didn't enjoy it."

"Come on," the Doctor told them, not smiling until he turned his back.

He would never understand how he had been worthy of the pair of them, but he didn't want to miss a minute.

"Daddy," Grace asked him and he knew that she must want something.

"Yes, love," he asked leaning over to inspect a tree.

"Can I cut it down this year?"

The Doctor nodded but caught Donnas' eye, and she was shaking her head. "Donna, honey, she is nineteen, and I think she can handle an axe."

Donna sighed but finally nodded. "This acceptable," he asked Grace handing her the axe carefully.

She nodded and waited for him to move out of the way, though he stayed close too, trying to pretend he wasn't worried. Poor Grace had two parents that thought she was made of glass, of course it hadn't helped that several months ago they had almost lost her.

She swung and brought the tree to the last little bit and then gave it a shove and it toppled onto the fresh snow. Grace looked at them with a smile that was worth the worry, and then at the tree.

"Do I get some help getting it back, then," he asked as he moved to the tree. Grace and Donna moved into place and they marched back to the TARDIS with their prize.

DW

Donna helped the Doctor set the tree up while Grace had gone to make some hot chocolate "What happens when she is ready to leave us?"

The Doctors look was one of sheer surprise and she knew that he must not have considered that possibility. She didn't like to think about it but Grace might very well want to try her own life on some planet, probably Earth. Donna knew that children didn't want to stay with their parents forever, and she could feel the tears just thinking about only seeing her once in a while. Why she chose this moment to bring it up she didn't know.

"What do you mean," the Doctor asked her gently, making sure Grace was still gone. "Has she said something about leaving?"

"No," Donna shook her head, feeling silly and mad at for ruining the day with tears. "But that's what kids do, they find their own path."

The Doctors face showed that he didn't like to think about her leaving any more than Donna. "This isn't a normal situation," he reasoned.

"I know," Donna nodded. "But what then, we just leave her on a planet and go on with our lives. See you at Christmas, Grace?"

"After Christmas we'll talk to her about it okay," he told her gently.

Donna nodded and turned back to the tree just as Grace approached. Donna looked up and saw the frown on Grace's face. The hot chocolate was passed around but Grace went over to sit down on the grating.

Donna watched her for a moment as did the Doctor who finally spoke, "Are you alright?"

Grace looked up, "I'm always alright."

Donna sighed and the Doctor looked at her. She knew that it wasn't his fault that Grace hid her hearts like he did, though he had gotten better with time, but she still didn't like it. It wasn't easy to be the emotional one with two people who acted like nothing ever hurt them, even if she knew the truth, and she did know the truth.

"Want to put on the tinsel," Donna asked her, knowing that she would talk when she was ready and with them both distraction seemed to work best in the immediate.

Grace looked up and gave her a little smile, "Sure, but I get to do it my way."

Grace's way was messy but Donna would clean up any mess to bring back the joy in her eyes. "Okay, sweetheart."

Grace gave her a wide smile, feelings pushed deeper and she rose. She took the tinsel into her hands and ran around the tree tossing it randomly. Which made the tree into a gold covered glowing memory. When the tree was finished, Grace gathered up the cups and walked out of the room without a word. Donna watched her go.

"What's wrong, with her," Donna asked him.

He looked back at her and smiled. "I don't know, but I'll find out."

DW

The Doctor walked to the kitchen to find Grace, who was pulling out the ingredients to start making Christmas dinner. She didn't look up at him when he walked in but he knew that she saw him.

"Grace?" He asked gently.

"I said I'm alright," she defended against the words he hadn't spoken.

"No, you aren't. It's Christmas, love. Tell me what's wrong so I can make it better."

Grace looked up at him and he could see tears in her eyes. He didn't know what was wrong but he pulled her to him in a hug. "Do you and Mom want me to leave?"

She had heard the conversation he and Donna had been having. "No, honey." He pulled back so he could look down at her. "We want you to stay as long as you want to; we just thought that maybe someday you might want to."

"I can leave after Christmas," she told him, pulling away from him and returned to her task.

He felt his hearts panic; he didn't want her to go. "Please don't Grace. We love having you here and would never want you to go unless that was what you wanted."

She looked back at him, but didn't say anything. She started breaking eggs into a bowl and humming. Donna walked into the kitchen and looked to the Doctor who pointed to the hallway.

"She thinks that we want her to leave," he told Donna when they were far enough away.

Donna sighed. "Did you tell her?"

"Of course I told her," he found himself getting angry. Not at Donna or at Grace, but at the situation. This was Christmas and he couldn't stop the people he loved from hurting.

Donna looked lost in thought and then the Doctor thought of something. She would have to see if they gave her one of her Christmas presents. "I'll give her the present."

Donna looked up and smiled at him and nodded.

He jogged back to the kitchen and grabbed Grace's hands and pulled her gently ignoring her protest. When they made it to the console room, he led her right up to the console and put her hand on a lever. "You need to pull this first," he told her.

She looked up at him, and he could see her brain connecting the dots. "You're going to teach me?"

He nodded. "Yes, but I can't do that if you leave."

She smiled at him, all forgiven as only Grace could do so quickly. "Really," she ran her hand over the lever slowly.

"Yes," he nodded. "I was going to surprise you tomorrow, but now seemed better."

She hugged him, "Thank you," she told him and then ran from the room pausing only to hug Donna.

Now things were back on track.


	3. Chapter 3

**Very short conclusion.**

Christmas dinner was in the kitchen, and they were gathered around the tree now that it was actually Christmas day. They all had small piles in front of them, and Grace was still bouncing, and the Doctor had a strong suspicion she had found the coffee that Donna had hidden.

"Go first, Mom," Grace told Donna with a child like smile.

Donna smiled back and pulled out the present she knew that Grace was referring too, and opened it slowly. The Doctor could see the impatience in Grace's eyes; she loved seeing other people enjoy what she got them. At long last Donna pulled out a bottle filled with a light pink liquid and the Doctor realized it was the perfume Donna had been considering buying for months now but never had.

"Thank you, honey," Donna looked at her daughter.

"You now, Dad," she instructed and he began to move at once.

He unwrapped it quickly; afraid Grace might burst if he drew it out and pulled out a new tie, with a delicate pattern of stars on it. He beamed at Grace who smiled back.

"It doesn't match anything, but I didn't think that mattered considering the normal dress," she joked with him.

"I match just fine thank you, young lady," he told her. "Open yours, the big one on the ground first."

Grace reached for it eagerly and he tried not to meet Donnas' eye as he had bought this present when Donna wasn't around. She wouldn't have deemed it safe. Grace pulled out the surf board and looked up at him in delight.

"I'll take you to the beach tomorrow," he told her and gave Donna a weak smile but she didn't seem angry.

"Softie," she murmured almost too low to be heard.

When the rest of the presents were open, they settled into a silence and he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, soaking up the peace of this moment.

DW

Donna watched the Doctor and knew that he had fallen into a light sleep, and then she looked to Grace, who was lying on the floor on her stomach. She had her arms tucked under her body and was using a flat box as a pillow. And she was very much asleep, though Donna wasn't surprised that she had crashed after the amount of coffee she had consumed.

She moved closer to the Doctor leaning into his body and he moved to hold her on reflex. None of them would be real comfortable after napping on the floor in the console room, but this moment was far too wonderful to interrupt. Her family, her every drop of love, was safe and warm and happy. And she was with them in this moment, without danger or worry. There was no rush, and she just wanted to take the slow path today.


End file.
